Rotary mill



` ROTARY MILL Filed Feb. 27, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 26, l1946. L. R. GIMENEZ 2,397,346

ROTARY `mlm.` H

Filed Feb. .27, '1945 1 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Mar. 26, 1946 ROTARY MILL Leopoldo RamosfGimenezLBuen'os -Aires,

' Argentina ApplicatonFebruaryfZ'l, 1943:,` SerialNo-MYAZS' InriArgentina J anual-yJ 211943.

(Cl. 17o- 29) 3, Claims.

The. presentinvention relates to a rotary mill and has for. its object'to provide-an-effectivel basis for` the utilization of' thedriving'. force ofi natural air or water currents so that, for alllpractical purposes, the problems offered by therotorsvofsimilar machines dueito th'eirregularitiesandsvariation ofi said currents, may belconsideredasresolved.

Actually the rotor vanesof the existing mills are'built with av determined pitch which' enables them to be driven by the air or water current, butdue to which theyl can: only use 25%.l of the driving force existing on the' surface. oftheV vanes; and the driving power which-can be derived'fromtheir moving'element is so small that only by thel use of,v reducing gear the necessary power for operating pumps orvsirnilar devicescan be obtained.

Due to the necessity of using the reduction gear, the resulting movement is so -slow that positive eiTects are obtainable with great rotor velocities only, which' means that, in case of windmills, the velocity of the wind must be considerable; atE least rseven meters per second.

didl not1 correspond toxthe quality of:l the machine.

Thereis; no doubt' that aL realization based on thisrprin'ciple` would,r constitute the ideall solution foi the maximumi utilization:I of the driving. force of i currents,A I but under the only condition that the devices and the means used would allow ai direct, simpleandfrictionlesssettingof the vanes; which precisely'has.- been;` attained'i in .the rotor. subject ofthe present invention; .whichiduestoiits .peculiar this movementbeing, caused'by governing. means On the otherhand, a light breeze, althougliitY is able t0 cause a movement of the rotor, produces terrupt th'e normal operation of the device and may seriously'damage and even destroythe machine, unless thelatter is provided with a device which automatically adjusts the vanes to a-neutral position.

To all this there ought to beV added that, inl

order to find eiTective-breezes, the'v mills must operate atcertain-heights abovethe ground`,` whichconstitutes a further disadvantage, since-the price of the tower required for the-mountingundoubt'- edly raises the cost of"y the complete installation.`

In order to avoid these-drawbacks; experiments have been carried out.'withsomedevicesinwhich the vanes, instead: of.v being disposed in apermanently inclined position; are mechanicallycombine'dto shift from a vertical toa horizont'alposition, in which they do; not oier resistancezto the driving windl or, current. However,` due-atov thefa'ct that these devices. have usedfthe-'doorleaf disposition of the-zvanes, the-resultingivibrations and` clashes-interferedzwith the normal op eration of the apparatus, to such an extrenfieghat:y

the grade of efliciency which could be obtained,

theipositionof which-vary sothat the vanes are always shiftedto avertical position only in the section which corresponds-to the. direction of the wind; or` current, th'e driving force; ofVV which is used.

Toxthisfend, thesvaneszwhichiare mounted on a rived fromf the rotor: movement is` so great',that

the'rotorisrable to-drivefipumps=or other similar devicese-which .are commonly used with mills, directly andzwithout:anyreducing` gear, the slightest breeze being sucient and capable of attainingA an. effective operation ofthe drivenV element; the transformation, of: the driving forcev of the current intothe rotational movement` of the rotor maybe considered; ass the. highest obtainable: and

` four times the,;value obtained in millsfoft the oldersystems.

Among the several objects of thepresentinvention is the possibility to obtain mills or rotors of' a simple; economicrv and' rugged construction.

A` further object of the invention: is to render possible anoperation withv currents; or winds of high or low velocities, due to the directrelationship;betweenfthe rotor'shaft andthe driven element.

A stillv further object of the invention is t0 achieve a compensated unit with a central mounting on using an essentially radial disposition around the revolving shaft of the rotor whereby a rugged and compensated device is obtained which' cannot be damaged by storms.

A further object of this invention is to avoid great mounting heights of the windmills, thus making possible to eliminate the tower, which can be replaced by simple and economical columns. i Y

A still further object of the invention is the possibility to obtain mills with submerged rotors which can operate in rivers at great depths with p great emciency using the driving power of jthe Other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the course of the followinga@` specification, wh'en read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,ewhich show the new mill by way of example and in a preferred-embodi; Vment.`

In the drawings: Fig. l is a sectional view of the assembled rotary mill, and gives an idea of how the rotor is formed by the mountedvanes, demonstrating moreover the vane arms governed by the control device which is rotated by a rudder or steering vane operated by the wind. f

Fig. 2 is atop view of the same unit, showing 4 in agraphic form the operation of the vanes which, responding to the control device, shift to a vertical position in the sector which corresponds to the direction of the wind, while turning to a horizontal position in the opposite sector.

Fig. 3 is a partial longitudinal crosssection taken along a line passing through the axes of the tongues of Fig. 2 and looking Iin the direcor corresponding parts or elements in all gures.

As may be seen from the drawings, a is the casing of the rotatable armature which is mounted on the collar step bearing I and whichfadapts itself rby means of shaft 2 to the bearings 3 andv 4.' Said collar' step bearingV I and bearings 3 and 4 are mounted on thercasing b which may correspond to a tower Aor column, according to the dispostion and use of the mill.

Casing a comprises several radial'bushings 5 which include arms 6 Vof vanes 1, so that said arms .6 andV in general the vanes, are radially arranged with respect to the centre of rotation, e. g'. shaft 2. Y 1 I The vane unit constitutes a rotor, the general Extension. 2' of shaft 2 adapts itself to the control device c which; being mounted Von a sleeve 8 around said extension 2' is supported by the bearing '9. located on the upper terminal of said extension. y

The device c is provided with an arm Ill which ends with a yrudder II and which operates as a steeringvane adjusting itself to the direction of the Wind.` y

Y Due to the factV that the controll device cris freely mounted on extension 2 of shaft 2, said" device is 4VorientedY according to the direction` of plane of which is essentially horizontal and p f which revolves around a vertical shaft 2.

the wind, thus determining the correct `disposi-Y 'rnum plane, but nevertheless said slot constitutes a continuous guide, since both sections I2 and I3 are interconnected by slanting paths I4.

Said slots c receives rollers I5 of cranks I6 which are fixed to the 'internal ends of vane Yarms 6.

V"Due to this disposition, the rotor when recurrent near the bottom of Said rivera y volving as a unit, e. g. when the vanes revolve with the .casing a, does not influence the control device c, since said control Vdevice is freely mounted on extension 2' .and is in turn governed 'by the'steering vane Ill according to the directionfof the' wind.

The ascending and descending slanting paths I4 are diametrically located `on a line which `coincides with the radiusrof the rudder, and due to the action of said rudder II', said slanting paths Itl are located on a lineV which corresponds to the direction of the wind.

Cranks I6 are so constructed that itsv rollers Whenioperating inthe upper plane, section I2, adjust the corresponding vanes to a vertical position withrespect to the direction of the Wind,v said vanes thus directly receiving the full driving Yforce of the wind; .on the other hand, when said rollers shift to the opposite or lowerlplane section I3, cranks I6 adaptrthe corresponding vanes to the opposite or horizontal position, thus.

eliminating the resistance of the vanes in the section corresponding to the inoperative part of the cycle, a maximum degree of efficiency in the utilization of the driving force, thus being obtained since the vanes, in theV operating sector, receive the full pressure of the Wind.

Slotc' includes a closed track with two sections-Hand I3 located on different planes, and is in addition provided With an annular side track I'I, which is located on the same plane as sectionv I3, and tongues,` I8 partially dening theY slanting paths I YUpon reference to lFig.'3 it will be seen that'each tongue I8is rigidly xed to one end of a shaft I9 that is mounted for rotation in arbore in the casingjof device c.v Theend of each shaft I9fre'mote from the end attached to the tongue I8 is'rigidly Xed to an arcuate arm I SZ@ A link I9a is pivotally attachedk at one end to each arm I9b and is pive otallycomnected at its other end to annular member 2U. The arm ISb and arml lila lying in the annular space defined between the sleeve 8 and the body of the vdevice c. Annular member 2i) is adapted to be vertically shifted bythe operationof roller 2l. Said rollers 2I are ar-V ranged on an angle of a spindle 22, which is included and guided in anY axial Yboring in shaft 2, and as may be seenirl Fig: 1, said'spindle 22 endsY with an operating handle 23 which causes a longitudinal displacementof said spindle, when shiftedA to thedotted position. l

When displaced; rollers 2|A of spindle 22 cause a shifting of part; 20, which in turn changes the position of switch tongue I8, which occupying the dotted'position, forces all rollers I8 to operate` spect'to the direction of the windv and renderingthe" mill inactive incase of unusually strong winds'. e Y

Rotating shaft 2 which at the sametimeconstitutes the main element of the'machina from which driving vpower is derived, is provided with a iixed pinion 2liV engagingpinion 25`with equal number of teeth, which is'mounted lby means of its axle 2E in ybearing 2T; and as can be seen, said axle comprises an eccentric 28 provided with a bolt 28 adapted to thefcoupling rod 29 which is directed towards the lower `part and is coupled to the piston of the pump or another element which is driven by the mill.

Under certain circumstances, instead of using the above described combination of gears, shaft 2 may be extended to the lower part in order to operate directly, derivations or suitable combinations according to the requirements.

In the model shown in Figures 4 and 5, arms 6 are not only radial, but are constituted by rods placed diametrically and which are also provided with cranks I6 and rollers I5 which are governed by slot c under the same conditions of the models shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3; the control device of the model shown in Figures l and 5 being also freely mounted on a descending portion of shaft 2.

M ode of operation The rudder or steering vane Il of the mill assembled as shown in the various drawings, will stay in the direction of the wind, so that the control device c will occupy the corresponding position for the governing of vanes 7.

The wind, the direction of which is indicated by the arrows in Figures 2 and 4, impells only the vanes which are in the vertical or operative position, Iwithout influencing the opposite vanes which on the contrary are in the horizontal or inoperative position.

The operative position of vanes I in the corresponding sector is caused by rollers I5 of cranks I6 which are guided in the upper section I2 of the guiding slot c', While the inoperative position of the vanes is, on the other hand, due to rollers I5 which when entering a definite sector, are guided in lower section I3 of said guiding slot c.

Since the guiding slot c extends over 360 of the circumference and constitutes a continuous track, the passage between sections I2 and I3 is formed by slanting paths I4, the inclination of which is sufliciently moderate to avoid abrupt movements and vibration of vanes l.

The change in the position of the vanes is thus effected Without disturbing the rotation of the rotor which is caused by the impulse of the wind; and consequently, the mechanical control of the position of the vanes practically does not affect the normal operation of the unit. Thus an unusual high degree of efliciency in the use of the driving power of natural currents is obtained. As a result of such efl'iciency, the driving power derived from shaft 2 of a common size apparatus, will operate pumps or similar devices without the need of reducing gears, that is to say, coupled directly to such devices.

'Dueto the general construction of the rotor unit, which is supported by a collar-step bearing I and centered on bearings 3 and 4, the mechanical movement may be considered as perfect and frictionless, and it may be assumed that in the operative sector the vanes receive the full force of the wind, sincein the opposite sector where the vanes are in a horizontal position, said vanes offer insufficient surface to obstruct the positive action of the wind. As a result, the rotor starts its movement with any breeze and the rotation of shaft 2,1is'transmitted by1means of pinion Zitto pinion `25, -thezeccentric 28 of which is 'connected through "coupling rod -29 tothepump or device coupledtothemill. L.

The rudder or steering 'vane II, responding to the directional ichanges of the wind, adjusts the control device c to the new direction, .and thus f the switches formed bythe slantingpaths Iiare always properly :located to Acause the necessary shift infthe positionfofythevanessaid shift consisting `of :'afractional rotation. of the `respective armsfG Ywhereby .a movement vis obtained, which'is similar to the :movement of ailerons.

When the velocity of the wind is in excess, serious damage to the apparatus can be avoided, as stated above, by bringing operating handle 23 to the dotted position, whereby spindle 22, .by means of its rollers 2|, displaces part 20 which, operating through members I9a, shifts switching tongues I8 to the dotted position, thus excluding upper section I2 and opening side vtrack I'I, sov

that rollers I5 are always guided on the same plane and maintain all vanes in their horizontal or inoperative position.

With respect to the control device the crank mechanism is shielded in a carter 30 formed by a cavity in the casing a, said carter being filled with oil or grease and closed by cap 3l which is xed to the control device c.

On the other hand gears 24 and 25, together with bearing 4 are enclosed in a `carter 32 which also may contain grease or lubricating oil.

Should the current of rivers be used as the driv ing force for this mill, then the apparatus should be placed in an inverted position with its rotor located near the bottom of the river, and all devices which should be driven by the mill, could beY coupled to the extension of shaft 2 directed to-` wards the upper part of the apparatus.

In short, vanes 'I when in the operative sector, are in a vertical position with respect to the direction of the wind and during the rotation of the device, the vanes which reach one by one the slanting paths I4 change their position so that, when entering into the inoperative sector they are horizontal and do not offer any resistance; when the vanes reach the opposite slanting path I4, they return again to their original vertical operative position, acting in the operative sector. This mechanical switching, which goes on continually, allows the described operation of the mill.

It is evident that several modifications in construction and detail may be made by those skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of the invention as clearly set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a uid current motor including a plurality of vanes mounted for rotation about their long axes, a crank extending from each vane for turning the same to and from a feathered position, `and a cam follower on each crank, fluid current positioned rotatable cam means for operating said cranks which comprises, means defining an annular cam surface in one horizontal plane, means `defining another cam surface in a plane parallel to and above said continuous surface, said other surface extending for less than in an arcuate path, tongue elements pivoted to the ends of the means defining saidother cam surface for bridging the space between the cam surfaces, and means for moving said tongue elements from bridging position to a raised position, whereby the cam follower on each crank may be caused to follow said horiz'onta1 annular cam' sur#` to keep the blades in feathered position through-` out their entire cycle of movement. f

2. A fluid current'motor as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for moving the tongue 'elements comprises an element connected to said tongues and disposed within the means dening said cam surfaces, said elements presenting an annular lower working surface, rollers contacting said surface, and means for raising said rollers to raise said element to shift said to raised position.

tongue elements 3. A uid current motor as claimed 'in claim 1 wherein the cam means also includes means dening anupper cam Ysurface vertically spaced from and following the contour ofthe cam survface dened when said tongues are in bridging position, the bottoms of said tongues andrsaid other cam surface defining lmeans replacing a portion of said upper cam surface when said tongues are in raised position, whereby a groove type cam surface for said followers is provided in each position of the tongues.

LEOPOLDO RAMOS GIMENEZ. 

